Nigeria and five other countries are set to benefit from Bloomberg Philanthropies $75 million initiative to tackle untreated vision impairment.

Meanwhile , the Federal Ministry of Health is to integrate Primary Eye Care (PEC) into the Primary Health Care (PHC) in the health system in the country in order to reach the underserved in the remote areas of this country to enhance accessibility of women and the elderly to eye care.

Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate who stated this at the event to mark the 2025 World Sight Day on Abuja, observed that lack of awareness and inaccessibility of eye care services are possible reasons many Nigerians still remain visually impaired as they still seek unorthodox eye care which leads to disastrous treatment outcomes.

He noted that the integration process is aimed at strengthening the capacity of the non-ophthalmic Primary Health Care Workers (PHCWs) in Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) which are major access points for many Nigerians in the rural areas.

According to him, this will help the PHCWs to manage simple eye conditions and improve the referral system between the 4 levels of healthcare –community, primary, secondary and tertiary levels.

He said, “The Ministry believes that increasing the access to quality eye care services especially to the underserved in Nigeria will help the country in achieving Sustainable Development Goals by improving the opportunities for Nigerians to attend to their educational needs, improve their productivity at work place, increase the overall quality of life and ultimately an increase in the life expectancy of this nation hence the reason for the commitment of human and material resources towards integrating PEC into PHC of this country”.

Pate stated that in a country like Nigeria with a prevalence of 0.78% for blindness and 84% of these blinding diseases are avoidable with possible causes like cataract, glaucoma, refractive errors, uncorrected aphakia, harmful traditional eye practices, corneal opacities and Neglected Tropical Diseases like trachoma and Onchocerciasis.

The minister noted that the Presidential Initiative the Effective Spectacle Coverage Initiative Nigeria (ESCIN) /Jigibola 2.0 which has been officially launched , aims to increase access to reading glasses. Uncorrected Refractive Errors (RE) are the commonest cause of visual impairment, of which presbyopia (an age-related inability to see near objects or perform near tasks due to loss of elasticity of the crystalline lens in the eye

Pate observed that Presbyopia can easily be corrected with a pair of reading glasses adding that Nigeria is signatory to the 74th World Health Assembly for achievement of 40% increase in effective refractive error coverage by 2030 and reduction of refractive errors.

He said that the ESCIN therefore aims to distribute 5Million pairs of free reading glasses in Nigeria over a period of three years.

He said, ” The theme for this year’s world sight day “love your eyes” would not have come at a better time than now as it would afford us the opportunity of loving the 400 million eyes of Nigerian through the primary eye care approach when fully integrated into the Primary health care system thus bringing about a sustained economic growth and development to this nation and making the country a better place for us all. By prioritizing eye health today, we are investing in a brighter, more prosperous tomorrow for Nigeria”.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Daju Kachollom noted that Eye health is no longer just a health issue but an integral part of every Nation’s journey towards achieving Universal Health Coverage as well as directly and indirectly, the sustainable development goals.

She stated that the economic and social implications of vision impairment and blindness mean the converse and is critical to unlocking national development, especially for a young and populous country like Nigeria.

Kachollom advocated for early detection of eye diseases, regular eye check-ups and encouraged Nigerians to schedule routine comprehensive eye examination to prevent avoidable visual impairment and blindness.

In a related development, Nigeria, five others to benefit from Bloomberg Philanthropies $75 million Vision Initiative to tackle untreated vision impairment.

Nigeria is to benefit from the Bloomberg Philanthropies $75 million Vision Initiative to tackle untreated vision impairment in low and middle income countries and the United States.

Country Director of Sightsavers , Prof Joy Shua’ibu who disclosed this at the Bloomberg focus on clear vision project launch on Thursday in Abuja as part of activities to mark the 2025 World Sight Say , said that the Bloomberg Philanthropies Vision Initiative will conduct vision screenings for 11.5 million people, distribute nearly seven million pairs of eyeglasses, and restore sight for 250,000 people through cataract surgeries in Nigeria, United States, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ethiopia and Kenya .

She noted that under the initiative, the organisation will train health workers and teachers in basic eye health screening; provision of eye examinations and glasses; and outreach in the community, workplaces, schools, and to out-of-school children.

Shua’ibu explained that Sightsavers will work with Ministries of Health and Education to enhance vision and eye health services in the country

She said, ” Vision and eye care is often a ‘missing’ topic in health and development priorities, but at least 1 billion people worldwide1 – that’s one in eight of us – have an untreated or preventable vision impairment. It is an important element of achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals”.

According to her, Bloomberg Philanthropies’ announcement complements Sightsavers’ call for further action to reduce the global burden of avoidable vision impairment such as uncorrected refractive errors and cataracts.

Shua’ibu stated that increased investment in eye care from governments, philanthropists and organisations will unlock the potential for more people in Nigeria to learn, earn and prosper.

The Country Director observed that new research from IAPB, Seva Foundation and Fred Hollows Foundation estimates that addressing preventable vision impairment by 2030 would return US$2.45 billion to the country’s economy.

She said, “Eye health interventions including cataract surgery and glasses are cost-effective, with an estimated return on investment in low to middle income countries of US$28 for every dollar invested. Yet, the right to sight is not universal. More than 85% of people with vision impairment1 live in low and middle income countries. Shockingly, 70% of people with refractive error in Africa4 do not have the glasses they need. Women also account for more than half of blindness and visual impairment across the world”.

Shua’ibu noted that making eye care a priority will be transformational for people, communities, and nations adding that good eye health can reduce inequities, get more children in school and enable more adults to work.

She observed that access to glasses and cataract surgery will boost learning and economic productivity.”

She stated that it has been estimated that prioritising vision and eye care in Nigeria could generate the equivalent of 70,641 school years

Shua’ibu said, “At Sightsavers, we are proud of our efforts to improve access to vision and eye care services, including our new partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies and our ongoing work with governments, donors, decision-makers, NGOs, and other partners.We hope Bloomberg Philanthropies’ investment will spur additional global and national commitments. We need leadership and commitments, funding and partnerships, to make avoidable vision impairment truly avoidable.”

According to her. Sightsavers supports the wider call from the IAPB to make eye care a priority and put people at the heart of efforts. It also complements the World Health Organization’s efforts to raise awareness of eye health and advocate for universal access to eye care services.